Feet Up For Xmas

If it doesn't rain it pours for poor James Vaughan. Everton's youngest ever top flight goal scorer has been hit by injury again, this time his right knee is playing up after he twisted it in training on Friday. Basil Rathbone predicts it will be around two to three months till Vaughny will be back, and he will go under the surgeons knife as soon as to rectify the problem.

Basil Rathbone says: "James Vaughan twisted his right knee last Friday. He will be out until the New Year. The only saving grace is that it is not the knee he has had so much trouble with in the past. It's a terrible shame for James after all the problems he's had in the past. But, unfortunately, that's football." (25/11/08)

England Calls

Vaughany was told at half-time at the Boro game that he was called up to the England Under 21's squad. Now fully fit, he's happy for a game.

Vaughany says: "It's good and I'm glad that I'm in the squad. You never know what could happen on the night, I might get a game and hopefully I can do well. Someone passed the message on that I had to go after the game with the Under-21s so obviously I was happy to hear that. I know a few of the lads, I've played with a couple of them growing up, for the younger England teams." (17/11/08)

More To Come

Moyesy is happy with the progress James has made since he came back from injury, but thinks with so much time out of football, he has more to come.

Moyesy says: "I’ve said to him that I’ve just started to see signs of him coming back to what he is about and those goals against Liverpool will have done him the world of good. I still think he has got a bit of developing to do but he has had a good month or more to get up to speed. You have to remember he has missed so much football.

The training is definitely helping him. He is doing bits of extra stuff and he is definitely working hard to try and improve his all-round game. We are not making excuses but we did think he was going to take a few months to redevelop and get back to what we know he can do.”

Maybe sending him out on loan will be something that we think about in the future. But, at this moment, this is the best place for him. We need him at the minute. The squad isn’t strong enough or big enough to let him go away. But, much more than that, he is a type of player we don’t have at the club. That’s why I’d prefer it if he stays with us. But if I got to the stage where I think it would benefit him, I might send him away. For now, though, we want him with us.” (22/10/08)

Lets Repay The Manager Of The People's Club

After scoring the winner in the mini derby last night, Vaughany was thrilled with the news that Moyesy had signed a five year contract.

Vaughany says: "It's massive news for the club. He has brought us a long way in the space of time that he has been here and we hope that remains to be the case. The Gaffer brought me through and gave me my chance.

"Now it's up to me and the rest of the boys to repay him with results. When we click together, I don't think there will be any stopping us. We have just got to get together and keep fighting. This is a new era for us and we have got to kick on from here." (15/10/08)

Exciting Times Ahead

Moyesy reckons the injury ravaged striker could be very exciting prospect for Everton this season if he remains fit.

Moyesy says: "He could be very exciting for us. My concern is that I've put him in too early because I've had very little options. The boy had to play 30 minutes at West Brom first up and I nearly had to take him off with 10 minutes to go because he had nothing left.

"He's had no football but he made a difference and it is great for him to come back and show us what we have been missing. I don't know whether I could ask him to hang fire. His enthusiasm is his game. There are other parts that he needs to improve.

"Technically, we want to do a lot of work with him but his injuries have stopped us doing that. He has missed a lot of his young development because of that. But what he has got in abundance is enthusiasm."

He has a great desire to play and wants to play all the time. You can't beat that. Everybody loves a trier. He has got great determination and that's why he is at Everton and making a living. He is terrific around the place as well. I think there is big improvement in him. At this present time, we just need to get him over his injury.

"He is not fully fit at this time. We need to get him both match fit and physically fit and that is probably going to take me a couple of months to do that. Hopefully, with the games coming regularly over the next month, coupled with a few reserve games and training, will help him a great deal. Really, he is lucky if he has had six full football training sessions since he came back this summer." (06/09/08)

Vaughany Turns The Game

A totally unfit Vaughany won Everton the game against WBA, but because Everton are short of players, Moyesy had to play him and luckily it worked.

Moyesy says: "James Vaughan coming on completely turned the game and made all the difference because he ran about and gave us an extra forward that we have not had. I put him on with 35 minutes to go and could have taken him off with 10 minutes to go because the boy has not played any football and he was not in the squad on Friday. But after training yesterday I felt I had no choice but to take him in the party and he probably in a way won us the game and that is what we are missing." (24/08/08)

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Positive Meeting With Steadman

Everton took the opportunity to visit knee specialist, Dr Steadman in his home town of Colorado to get James checked over and had positive meeting.

Baz Rathbone says: “We’re in the vicinity of Doctor Richard Steadman’s clinic in Colorado, so we took the opportunity to pop Vaughany up there and let the great man have a look at him. We’re pleased with the way James is going and Dr Steadman is equally pleased. He agrees with our programme that James is going to play little bits of games and do a little bit of work with the medical team during the week. It’s fingers crossed that if things go the way James wants them to he’ll be starting games in a couple of weeks." (03/08/08)

Nothing Malicious

Everton are sweating on whether James will be suspended for being sent off in the Chicago game.

Vaughany says: "I ended up mistiming it and going over the ball with two feet. It was an accident and there was nothing malicious in it. I am just glad I didn't seriously hurt the player."

It felt good to be back. I've had the injury for a few months so it was good to be back playing alongside the lads. I've got a few bumps and bruises but that's a good feeling having played a game. I was just looking forward to playing. I was desperate to play. It was longer than I was expecting to get and I felt good fitness-wise." (01/08/08)

Terrible Tackle

It was great to see Vaughany back in action for Everton after his long lay off, but Moyesy pulled no punches when he had a go at Vaughany for what he called a 'terrible tackle' which resulted in the young striker getting sent off in the last minute of Everton's friendly in Chicago.

Moyesy says: “It was a terrible tackle from James Vaughan. I’ve told him and I just won’t have that. He’s apologised but it’s the player he made the tackle on he should be apologising to.” (31/07/08)

Steady Progress

Young James seems to be making steady progress from his knee injury.

Baz Rathbone says: "With James we never want to say he’s over it because he’s been so unlucky. But so far, so good.”(27/07/08)

Back For Pre-season

Vaughany is on the way back to a full recovery. He hopes to recover from his latest knee injury to start Pre-season training. After so many bad injuries to such a young player, lets hope James will get fit and have a run of games in the team.

James says: "I’m doing rehab on my knee. It feels good, it’s a slow rehab but everything is going to plan so far so hopefully I should be back soon. It’s a bit frustrating but I had my mind set on it long before the season finished, so I knew this was going to happen and I just have to work hard and get fit.

The physio's and fitness staff have been brilliant, and doing everything they can for me. Hopefully I can join in pre-season. By the start I hope to be doing some jogging and running and by the end get a few games in." (23/05/08)